The present invention relates generally to photography and more particularly to mounts for photographic positives or transparencies for projection purposes.
A photographic positive or transparency (commonly referred to as photographic slides, though hereinafter collectively referred to as a transparency) are customarily prepared from photographic film for projection purposes, and are typically mounted so that they may be readily handled for projection purposes. To make the transparencies useable at relatively low costs, the transparencies are mounted in mounts made of inexpensive material such as cardboard or paper (commonly referred to as board). Mounts generally include a coating on an interior surface to prevent transmission of light during backlighting from projection. Further, much of the actual mounting is done by automatic machinery and at high speeds. While satisfactory results can be obtained with automatic machinery, manufacturing difficulties can occur. For example, the transparencies may not be properly registered within the mount. Further, the mount may not be sufficiently secured to retain the transparency within the mount. In addition, if heat is applied to secure the mount, overheating may adversely affect the transparency being mounted.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,842,883, by Folwell et al., titled, xe2x80x9cPaper Mount For Transparencies,xe2x80x9d Jul. 15, 1958, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,077,688, by Friedman et al., titled, xe2x80x9cPhotographic Mount,xe2x80x9d Feb. 19, 1963, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,991, by Harper et al., titled, xe2x80x9cPaper Mount For Photographic Transparencies,xe2x80x9d Feb. 22, 1966, disclose mounts for photographic transparencies. While such mounts may have achieved certain degrees of success in their particular applications, the mounts have not provided a readily manufacturable, low cost mount which uses commodity materials wherein a transparency is properly aligned and secured within the mount by automatic means.
A known mount is disclosed in FIG. 1. As illustrated, mount 10 includes a support member 11 including an opacifant layer and having a fold line 12 to define a pair of blanks 14,16. Each blank 14,16 includes an aperture 18,20 which are in overlapping registration when support member 11 is folded along fold line 12. A frame 22 is disposed on one blank 14 to form a frame for locating the transparency. Frame 22 includes at least one layer of adhesive which is heat activated and pressure sensitive. Frame 22 may optionally include a wax coating to provide sealant. Disposed adjacent frame 22 is a coated strip of adhesive 24 for attaching/aligning the transparency to the mount within the frame when the mount is in an unfolded position. Once support member 11 is folded along fold line 12, heat and pressure are applied to the mount to seal frame 22 of blank 14 to blank 16. While this mount 10 may have achieved certain degrees of success in its particular applications, the inclusion of the adhesive strip 24 does not provide for a readily manufacturable, low cost photographic mount which uses commodity materials.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a readily manufacturable, low cost mount in which a transparency can be properly aligned and securely positioned within the mount by automatic means without adverse effect to the transparency, and in which non-customized, commodity materials can be employed.
An object of the present invention is to provide a photographic mount which is readily manufacturable.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a photographic mount which is low in cost to manufacture.
Still another object of the invention is to provide such a photographic mount in which a transparency can be properly aligned and securely positioned within the mount by automatic means and without adverse effects to the transparency.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a photographic mount which uses commodity materials.
These objects are given only by way of illustrative example. Thus, other desirable objectives and advantages inherently achieved by the disclosed invention may occur or become apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention is defined by the appended claims.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a photographic mount including a base member elongated in one direction along an axis and having a fold line perpendicular to the axis to define a pair of blanks. The base member is made of a support layer and a polymer layer, preferably polyethylene. The base member further includes a pair of spaced apertures, with one aperture disposed in each of the pair of blanks. When the base member is folded along the fold line, the pair of apertures are disposed in overlapping registration. A locating frame is carried by one blank, attached to the polymer layer, to form a frame about the aperture.
The present invention provides a manufacturable, low cost mount in which a transparency can be properly aligned and securely positioned within the mount by automatic means without adverse effect to the transparency, and in which commodity materials are used.